


Dystopia

by idrilhadhafang



Series: The Tainted Victory [1]
Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Emperor Hux, Gen, Hux is Not Nice, ambiguously heroic snoke
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-31
Updated: 2017-05-31
Packaged: 2018-11-07 02:17:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,289
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11049240
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/idrilhadhafang/pseuds/idrilhadhafang
Summary: Ten facts about Emperor Armitage Hux.





	Dystopia

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing. 
> 
> Author's Notes: "Aras" is Milaran for "son". Considering Snoke played a role in Ben's creation, it is one of many reasons he calls Ben that in that moment.

1\. The moment that Supreme Leader Snoke turns himself in is the moment that he strikes. He always knew that Snoke was unfit to rule, what with his mutterings about _ren_  and things of that nature. If there was anyone who deserved to rule the galaxy, who was ever entitled to, it was Armitage Hux. It is his birthright, his destiny. And now he knows Snoke is weak. If Hux didn't know better, he would say that Snoke somehow had _compassion_ for that Jedi. 

Compassion. Disgusting. Compassion for one's enemy is pure weakness, and somehow the Supreme Leader has fallen for it. Everyone knows that the Republic is unstable, promotes disorder. If Supreme Leader Snoke doesn't have the stomach for the job, Hux will finish it himself.

 

 

2\. He keeps the Knights of Ren; their origin is preposterous, to say the least, but they are nonetheless useful. Phasma is promoted to General under his rule and continues to find new children to bring in and train as stormtroopers. His men. Programmed from birth, efficient, _perfect_. He can feel Lisaris' obvious contempt for the process -- one of the few areas where the man thinks he can somehow get self-righteous -- through the head tilts and turns and critical glances, but Lisaris won't question his methods. Not his future Emperor. No one will dare to ridicule him when he becomes Emperor.

Armitage Hux will finally get the respect he is due. He will be so much different from the boy his father beat and belittled. He will be respected. Exulted. It will be as he fantasized about during his childhood. This is his birthright, no other's. The Supreme Leader's "vision"? Shoddy at best. Hux's vision is far superior.

 

3\. The day he becomes Emperor, Hux looks out over his new domain and smiles. All of this is his now, and no other's. And when Starkiller Base is complete, no one will dare to oppose him. 

 

4\. Starkiller Base was originally Hux's idea -- the Supreme Leader approved it and began constructing it. Now, Hux is finishing it, perfecting it to make the perfect weapon to use against his enemies. No matter where they hide, this weapon will finish them off too easily. 

 

5\. The day that the Hosnian system is destroyed, Hux is there. He wants to oversee the destruction of the Hosnian system personally. Even as he gives his speech, he feels righteous. Justified. This is right, this is perfect. The Republic will fall, and without their friends, the Resistance will yet be vulnerable. And the New Empire will be triumphant. 

Hux practically screams the order to fire.

And he knows full well, even as the clouds roll out, that the Hosnian system has been destroyed.

 

6\. When he learns of those who stole the plans for Starkiller Base, he sends Lisaris to hunt them. If the plans for Starkiller Base are leaked to the Resistance, they will have the advantage. And that Hux cannot allow. 

 

7\. When he learns about the destruction of Starkiller Base, he is furious. When he learns who lowered the shields, he is all the more angry with Phasma, though he does not raise his voice. 

"You should have let them shoot you," he says. "You should have met them shoot you than betray your Emperor."

Phasma is calm all the while. "I understand," she says. "It was my failing, my lord, and I accept whatever punishment you give me."

Hux ultimately demotes her. She does not deserve the rank of General. She is a coward and a traitor to the First Order. But Hux is not unmerciful. They call him a monster for what he did to the Hosnian system, but the Republic was a threat, as was the Resistance. Not only to his power, but to his galaxy. They would bring back the corruption and instability of the Republic of old. 

 

8\. It's two years after the destruction of Starkiller Base that Lisaris reports to him that the former Supreme Leader Snoke has escaped from prison, and Hux knows immediately what that means. Snoke is here to kill him. To reclaim what is his, and he loathes the very thought of it. To think of this weakling sabotaging all he strove to build...

"We will deploy the fleet immediately," he says. "If our former Leader thinks he can sabotage all we sought to build, he is wrong."

 

9\. Snoke has gone back to Milara in order to recruit his followers to fight against Hux. As far as intelligence has been gathered, he has not allied himself with the Jedi. Snoke, in this case, seems to only serve himself. Does he seek to claim the throne that Hux has worked so very hard to build? Because he never will. This throne is not his, and never will be. 

 

10\. When Snoke confronts him, he is a weak, dying man. And if Hux doesn't know better, he would say he somehow regrets his actions. Weakness. Pure weakness. The former Leader was too restrained by his own Milaran code, and that was part of his downfall. He will not win. 

"Kill him," Hux orders the Knights of Ren, and they charge at Snoke. He sits back on his throne, watches patiently as Snoke draws his lightsaber and battles each one, gathering his fair share of nicks and cuts in the process. The Milarans who follow him assist him through their double-bladed weapons, cutting and shouting something that Hux doubts he can translate, and he does not care. 

Snoke stands, bleeding but triumphant, and looks at Hux with a sort of fury. 

"Is this your revenge, false Emperor?" he says. "Have me fight my own Knights? Truly you are gifted in the ways of cruelty. I wonder, do you have the strength to face me in combat? Or are you too much of a coward to do so?"

"Says the traitor to his own Order."

"I act in Milara's best interests, false Emperor. Now, I ask you, do you have the strength to face me in combat? Even Sarlis the Butcher was no coward."

Hux descends from his throne, eyes blazing, and draws his sword. The Emperor's sword. 

"Very well," he says. "To the death. Yours."

"If necessary," says Snoke, and Hux realizes something startling. Snoke doesn't care whether or not he lives or dies. He is dying anyway. The Leader, sickly, weak...and to think that Hux sought to please him once!

They duel, and Hux is far from unskilled, but his strengths lie in tactics, not hand-to-hand combat. If not for Snoke collapsing, wheezing, coughing, Hux knows he would have been dead. 

Hux stands over Snoke. "Now who doesn't have the strength, I wonder?" He looks disdainfully at Snoke. "To think others once thought you glorious. You are nothing. Disgusting. Weak. And now...dead."

Hux raises his sword. Snoke looks defiantly into his eyes and speaks. 

"If nothing else will fell your Empire, false Emperor, _ren_ will."

"Still talking superstition, are you?"

"I speak the truth," says Snoke.

Hux raises his blade, prepares to chop --

\-- only for a voice, Ben Solo's voice to cut through the quiet. 

"Snoke!"

Snoke turns, and his expression softens. "Ben... _aras_..." 

And Hux knows that this is one of the reasons that he hates Snoke, laid bare. This Jedi has caught Snoke in a way and will not release him. He has caught Snoke in a way Hux never ever could. There is his rage, his vulnerability, laid bare for this Jedi to likely feel. 

Hux draws his sword for what will likely be his last stand. And then, "Guards! Kill them!"

He wonders how Ben Solo, in the end, will hold out against his guards. Indeed, he looks forward to it. 

 

 

 


End file.
